A timeline to a tournament launch event is expected in a matter of weeks.
But whatever it contains, that launch won’t be able to claim World Rugby ratification.
World Rugby’s seal of approval comes with benefits; its absence will be a question mark for those pondering whether to take up an R360 offer, either as a player or host city.
Being part of World Rugby’s calendar would give R360 access to the governing body’s centrally-contracted group of elite officials, its established anti-doping infrastructure and legal and insurance framework.
It would lend legitimacy to the start-up and, perhaps most crucially, make it more likely R360’s recruits can continue their Test careers.
Each national union sets its own policy towards international selection.
New Zealand, England, Ireland and France are among those who favour or exclusively pick domestic-based players.
Any of their stars who switch to R360 would – barring a radical change in their union’s stance – be ineligible for Test selection.
However, South Africa, Australia, Scotland and Argentina’s sides are among those open to overseas stars, raising the possibility that, for them, a lucrative sideline in a ratified R360 could co-exist with a Test career.
The best business sense for R360 is to be able to assure players they can have both.
In this regard, World Rugby wants the same.
Such is the importance of the international game showing off its stars, World Rugby stipulates sanctioned club tournaments make players available for their countries at set times of the year.
However, those release windows leave little room in the calendar in which R360’s prospective all-star international roster of men’s and women’s players could all be available at that same time.
R360’s current plan is to run in two blocks: from April to June and August to September. These would clash with the Women’s Six Nations and the usual Rugby Championship window in which South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina meet.
Without a guarantee to release players for those Tests and others, ratification won’t be forthcoming.
R360 would prefer to earn World Rugby’s approval, but it has a parallel plan.
An all-out rebel approach – in which R360 operates as an independent competition outside World Rugby’s governance structure – is an option.
It would have full control over players and be able to pick and choose their dates, rather than working around the existing calendar.
However, it would make the event more expensive to set up, more divisive and – in effectively cutting itself off from the rest of rugby – a less attractive proposition for many.
